Interval Training(HIIT – High Intensity Interval Training)

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is one of the most effective ways to improve fitness, speed up metabolism and burn fat, including visceral fat. This type of training involves repeating high-intensity stretches of exercise interspersed with short periods of rest or lower intensity. In this article, you’ll learn why interval training is so popular, what its benefits are, and how to start incorporating it into your training plan.

What is Interval Training?
Interval training is a form of exercise in which you alternate periods of intense physical exercise with periods of rest or active recovery. Simply put, you try to expend maximum energy during one interval, followed by a short break to rest.

For example:

30 seconds of sprinting, followed by 90 seconds of walking.
You repeat this cycle for 20-30 minutes.
This concept can be applied to a variety of activities such as running, cycling, swimming or weight training. Personally, my favorite is running up the stairs, which is not only extremely effective, but also great for engaging the lower body and improving overall fitness. The stairs add a new dimension and a good dose of intensity to your workout.

Benefits of Interval Training
1. Time Saving Interval training is ideal for those who don’t have a lot of time for long workouts. Short and intense workouts can produce the same (or even better) results than traditional cardio workouts, which can last an hour or more.

2. Speeding up your metabolism After interval training, your body continues to burn calories even at rest. This effect, called EPOC (Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption), increases your metabolism for up to several hours after exercise.

3. Burning Visceral Fat One of the biggest benefits of HIIT is its ability to burn visceral fat, the fat stored around the organs in the abdominal cavity. This type of fat is associated with a higher risk of health problems such as diabetes, heart disease or metabolic syndrome. HIIT is more effective than traditional aerobic workouts for reducing visceral fat.

4. Improved fitness Interval training improves both endurance and anaerobic capacity – this means you’ll be better able to handle both long cardio workouts and short intense exercise.

5. The versatility of HIIT can be adapted to any form of exercise. Whether you prefer running, cycling, rowing or weight training, you can create a tailored interval workout.

6. Motivation and fun The dynamic alternation of intense and rest phases is more fun and less monotonous than traditional cardio training. For example, if you choose to run up stairs in a natural or urban environment, you add an interesting element of environment to your workout.

Spartan Training at Xplore – Every Tuesday at 7:00 a.m.
If you’re looking for an effective interval workout that not only gets you in shape, but also prepares you for races, I invite you to Spartan Training, which I lead every Tuesday at 7:00 am at our Xplore. This interval training is designed as official preparation for the Spartan Race.

How To Interval Training?

1. Set a goal
Before you start training, be clear about what you want to achieve: fat burning, fitness improvement, or race preparation? This will help you adjust the intensity and length of the intervals.

2. Choose your activity
You can choose running, cycling, rowing, jumping rope or self-weight exercises such as squats, push-ups or burpees. If you have the option, try incorporating stair climbing – it’s one of the most intense but also most effective ways of interval training.

3. Choose the ratio of intensity to rest
For beginners, I recommend starting with a 1:2 ratio, for example:

20 seconds of intense activity (e.g. sprinting, running up the stairs),
40 seconds of rest or lower intensity (walking down stairs or light jogging).
You can gradually reduce the rest time or increase the intensity time to a 1:1 or even 2:1 ratio.

4. Duration of training
Training does not have to be long. The ideal length of a HIIT workout is 15-30 minutes, including a warm-up and final stretch.

What to watch out for?
Don’t overdo the beginning: If you’re a beginner, don’t start out too intense. Make sure to use proper technique and gradually increase the load.
Recovery: HIIT is demanding, so give yourself plenty of rest between workouts. I recommend to include interval training 2-3 times a week.
Always warm up before training and stretch thoroughly after training to prevent injury.
For maximum results, combine HIIT with a quality diet.

Conclusion
Interval training is a great tool for improving fitness, burning fat and speeding up metabolism. But what’s especially important, HIIT helps reduce visceral fat, which has a huge impact on your overall health. If you’re looking for motivation and effective interval training, come to Spartan Training every Tuesday at 7:00 a.m at our Xplore. You’ll see the great impact this workout has on not only your fitness, but also your preparation for the Spartan Race.

I look forward to seeing you! If you have any questions or need more information, feel free to contact me. Together we will achieve your goals!

Vladimir Veverka
Personal trainer and nutrition consultant